Bulk containers



March 1968 L. SILFVERSKIOLD 3,374,929

BULK CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 23, 1966 l 2 Sheefcs-Sheet 1 JNVENT ge. AE/V/VART S/LF VfRSK/OLD 1477 f YS March 1968 SILFVERSKIGLD 3,

BULK CONTAINERS I Filed Sept. 23, 1966 2 SheetsSheet z INVENTIOIQ. LE/V VA RT 5/ F l/ERSK/ @LD wi /MM United States Patent ()fiice 3,374,929 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 3,374,929 BULK CONTAINERS Lennart Silfverskiiild, Strandvagen 61, Stockholm, Sweden Filed Sept 23, 1966, Ser. No. 581,560 Claims. (Cl. 222-105) The invention described herein is for an improved bulk container of the sack type made from suitable flexible treated fabrics, for the transportation of powdered or granular materials.

These containers include a body part which terminates in a funnel shaped bottom which is closed by a suitable quick opening means. Because of the shape of the bottom, unless it is supported on a flat surface, the container cannot stand erect for filling purposes. The common filling practice is to place the container on a pallet which, in effect, provides the flat bottom. When filled, the container is retained on the pallet for shipment, requiring reshipment of both the container and the pallet. 7

French Patent No. 1,185,581, patented on Feb. 16, 1959, appears to be illustrative of the closest prior art. As seen therein, a narrow band is provided at the lower end of the container and serves as a support when the container is on the pallet for filling purposes. However, upon movement, the container must be retained on the pallet and both must be reshipped to the filling station.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of means in combination with such a type of container which, without appreciably interfering with the emptying operation of the container through the funnel shaped bottom, may serve as an additional or double bottom whereby once the container is filled it may be moved from one point to another without any additional supporting means for the bottom thereof. Another object of the invention is to provide together with said additional or double bottom associated top closure means whereby there is in effect provided a second container within which the first container may be completely stowed when empty, for instance during reshipment.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be understood from the description herein when read in light of the following drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates the container as it appears in a position ready to be emptied;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the filled container;

FIGURE 3 is a view looking down on the top of the container in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view partly in cross-section of the container ready for reshipment.

Referring to the drawings, the container is made of a suitable flexible fabric, of sufficient strength, and properly treated, as required for the kind of contents to be carried. The container has an elongated sleeve or tubular body portion 1 with a funnel shaped bottom portion 2, the latter terminating in a spout 3. The spout is closed by a piece of rope 4 wound therearound and secured by any quick release knot.

The upper end of sleeve 1 is gathered and secured to a lifting ring 5 defining a top opening for the container of lesser diameter than the sleeve 1. Positioned circumferentially of ring 5 and spaced 90 apart are hook-like brackets 6 supporting a top yoke 7. The yoke permits the suspending of the container from a supporting or carrying means, such as a fork lift truck or an overhead crane with chains and hooks 8, without damage to the fabric. If desired, a top closure 9 of suitable material may be provided, the closure having its outer periphery secured to ring 5, and being provided with a center filling spout 10. The above-described container is given by Way of example, as the improvement herein is applicable to any type wherein there is a flexible sleeve or body and a flexible funnel type bottom.

A band or girdle 12 encircles the lower end of the body or sleeve 1 at the junction or jointure of the former with the funnel 2, As clearly seen in FIGURE 1, the lower edge of the girdle 12 lies in substantially the same plane as the lower edge of the sleeve 1 and, hence, the upper edge of funnel 2. The band or girdle 12 is sufficiently rigid to retain the tubular body portion expanded substantially to its full circumference and remain vertical when resting on its lower edge.

The girdle 12 may be a rigid band, but preferably, it is made of leather, heavy canvas, or other stiff but pliable materials which are sufliciently heavy to retain a substantially cylindrical shape, although sufficiently flexible to give, particularly radially, during handling and particularly when subjected to shock. Additionally, such materials may be sewed to body 1, thus making for ease in manufacture. If materials such as plywood, plastic or the like are used, they should be radially resilient to prevent cracking or breaking when dropped or jarred during handling. If these last-named types of bands are used, they may be secured by stapling or any of the adhesives now available which are compatible for different types of materials or they may be covered by fabric strips secured to the body 1 by suitable seams. Regardless of the type of material, it is seen that the band is permanently secured to the sleeve 1.

As is clear from the drawings, the girdle 12 encircles the body 1 and, therefore, its inner diameter is that of the outer diameter of the body 1. The girdle must be of sufficient height to define, with the funnel 2, when the latter is flat, a cylindrical bottom section with a firm circumferential vertical Wall. Associated with the girdle 12 is, in accordance with this invention, a bottom closure 13 comprising a circumferential skirt of flexible sheet material, such as fabric, having its upper edge secured to the lower edge of the girdle 12 and its length approximately the same or slightly less than the radius of the girdle. The lower edge of the skirt is provided with a hem 14 in which there is a draw cord 15 for drawing and securing the skirt in a horizontally taut position and, when in this position, a second bottom under the flat-folded funnel bottom 2 is provided for the container as seen in FIG- URES 2 and 4.

Also associated with the girdle is a top closure 16 comprising a skirt, a hem 17, and a draw cord 18 similar to the bottom closure. The top closure has the lower end of its skirt secured to the upper edge of the girdle. The upper edge or hem 17 of the top closure may be provided with hooks engageable in loops 20 on the body 1.

With the described construction, when the container is to be filled, as the ring 5 is raised, the sleeve or body 1 will be open to its full circumference above the girdle 12 and the upper closure 16 also serves as an additional outer reeinforcing layer or wall for the body 1. The content will initially be confined within the lower section providing sufficient weight to anchor and hold the container erect. After filling and lifting, the bottom closure 13 will maintain the bottom of the container substantially flat whereby it may be shipped without additional support.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the girdle 12 is of sufiicient height to permit the remainder of the container including the ring 5 and yoke 7 to be completely stowed therein when the container is empty. When so stowed, with the top and bottom closures secured in their flat position, it is seen that the girdle 12 and the top and bottom closures constitute a complete separate container permitting ready reshipment of the entire device when it is not in use.

If desired, the top closure 16 may be extended upwardly from the hem 17 as indicated at 21 and have its upper edge secured to the upper edge of the container body 1. With this construction, a double body is provided, when the container is raised up, and because lighter fabrics may be used, the additional cost is substantially ofr' set. It is also apparent that inasmuch as the hem 17 is on the outside of the outer body, when the rest of the container is stowed the lower portion 16 still functions as the top closure for the lower section of the empty shipping container.

The container illustrated provides many advantages, particularly those permitting shipment when filled with the bottom remaining substantially flat, and upon reshipment the provision of a unitary package which is readily handled, easily stacked, occupies minimum space, and pr tects the main body from damage.

It is apparent that the preferred embodiments and modifications thereof have been described, and that many changes could be made by the substitution of equivalents. The appended claims define the patentable and equivalent subject matter.

I claim:

1. In a bulk container the combination of an elongated tubular fabric container body, a funnel shaped flexible container bottom extending from the lower end of the contained body, having a closable lower end opening and being foldable into a substantially flat position, when the container is empty, a band encircling and secured to the lower end of the body, having its lower edge adjacent the jointure of the body and the funnel shaped container bottom and being sufliciently rigid to retain the tubular container body expanded substantially to its full circumference, and an additional bottom closure for the encircling band comprising a fabric skirt exterior of the container bottom and having its upper edge secured to the lower edge of the band and extending downwardly therefrom with its lower edge free, the skirt having a length approximating the radius of the band and securing means associated with the free edge of the skirt for releasably securing the skirt in substantially flat position under the container bottom, when the latter is in a folded in, substantially fiat position.

2. In a bulk container the combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein to the upper edge of said hand there is secured a top closure for the body encircling band comprising a second flexible skirt exterior of the container body and extending upwardly from the band with its upper edge free and securing means associated with the free edge of the skirt for releasably securing the skirt in substantially flat position above the container body when the latter is collapsed within said band.

3. In a bulk container the combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein said top closure extends above the securing means and has its upper edge secured to the top of the body whereby a complete double wall is provided.

4. In a bulk container the combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper end of the container body is secured to a top lifting ring, said ring being of lesser diameter than the encircling band whereby it may be stowed within the band upon stowage of the body.

5. In a bulk container the combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein said band has a height exceeding the height of said ring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,131,832 5/1964 Strandberg et al 2221O5 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,185,581 2/1959 France.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BULK CONTAINER THE COMBINATION OF AN ELONGATED TUBULAR FABRIC CONTAINER BODY, A FUNNEL SHAPED FLEXIBLE CONTAINER BOTTOM EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER END OF THE CONTAINED BODY, HAVING A CLOSABLE LOWER END OPENING AND BEING FOLDABLE INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT POSITION, WHEN THE CONTAINER IS EMPTY, A BAND ENCIRCLING AND SECURED TO THE LOWER END OF THE BODY, HAVING ITS LOWER EDGE ADJACENT THE JOINTURE OF THE BODY AND THE FUNNEL SHAPED CONTAINER BOTTOM AND BEING SUFFICIENTLY RIGID TO RETAIN THE TUBULAR CONTAINER BODY EXPANDED SUBSTANTIALLY TO ITS FULL CIRCUMFERENCE, AND AN ADDITIONAL BOTTOM CLOSURE FOR THE ENCIRCLING BAND COMPRISING A FABRIC SKIRT EXTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER BOTTOM AND HAVING ITS UPPER EDGE SECURED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF THE BAND AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM WITH ITS LOWER EDGE FREE, THE SKIRT HAVING A LENGTH APPROXIMATING THE RADIUS OF THE BAND AND SECURING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FREE EDGE OF THE SKIRT FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE SKIRT IN SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT POSITION UNDER THE CONTAINER BOTTOM, WHEN THE LATTER IS IN A FOLDED IN, SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT POSITION. 